Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers (ESV) Luke 22:31–32
A man approached me after a revival meeting because he was upset about something the evangelist said. The sermon the evangelist delivered was based on Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
When Jesus told Simon, Satan demanded to have you, He was not just referring to Simon; He was referring to all his disciples. That includes those who are born-again Christians.
The Bible says Satan is the archenemy of God. He, or his angels or spirits, can tempt us to sin; he is “the god of this world.” Satan is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, and the accuser of our brothers.
Make no mistake, Satan is real. He tempted Simon, and he yielded to Satan’s temptation. There is a warning that we need to take seriously today. We are also at risk of yielding to Satan’s temptations.
Satan demanded to have Simon so he might sift him like wheat. In Matthew 3:12, John the Baptist said Satan demanded to have Simon so that he might sift him like wheat. John the Baptist says that Jesus has His winnowing fork in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
Winnowing separates the grain from the chaff. After removing the husks, the grain was lifted with a wooden shovel or fork. The forceful wind dispersed the chaff, the worthless parts, allowing the kernels to fall back on the threshing floor. In Matthew 3:12, the Winnowing fork is used figuratively for the separation of the repentant from the unrepentant.
Jesus said to Simon, I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. Simon is advised to maintain his faithfulness. After Jesus warned Simon that Satan demanded to have him, Simon said, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Simon, also known as Peter, had no idea about the severe testing he was about to face. He was overconfident that he would always be faithful to the Lord. But in Luke 22:34 Jesus warned him, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow that day until you deny three times that you know me.”
After Jesus’ arrest in the high priest’s courtyard, Luke 22:56–57 says that a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looked closely at him, said this man was also with him. But Peter denied it, saying, Woman, I do not know him. Someone else saw him a little later and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” After an interval of about an hour,
another insisted, saying, Certainly, this man was with him, for he too is a Galilean. But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. Peter failed miserably, but despite his considerable setbacks, Peter’s faith remained steadfast. After Jesus’ resurrection, John 21:15–17 says When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs”. He said to him for a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him for the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and Peter said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him. Feed my sheep.”
John MacArthur said the words “more than these” probably refer to the fish, but it could refer to the other disciples. “Feed my lambs. Feed conveys the idea of being devoted to the Lord’s service as an under shepherd who cares for his flock.
After Peter repented of his sin, the Lord forgave him. In Luke 22:32b, Jesus told him, when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.
Anytime we sin against God, there are consequences. When the Lord forgives us of sin, he forgets it, like throwing our sins into the deepest part of the sea.However, when we sin, we don’t get off scot-free. Within there is a scare.
The power of intercessory prayer is genuine. What does intercessory prayer mean? It means prayer on behalf of others. On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, Peter failed Jesus miserably, but Jesus prayed for him. He knew Peter would repent of his sin and become an encourager of others to have faith in God.
After a Sunday morning worship service, a woman told me her husband was not a Christian. She also told me that she had been praying for her husband for twenty-one years to accept Jesus as his Savior and Lord. She asked me to keep him in prayer. One night in a revival meeting, her husband gave his life to Jesus.
The Apostle Paul encourages all Christians to pray for all people. 1 Timothy 2:1 says First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
Thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. It is a call for all sorts of Prayer.
When we pray for our enemies, intercessory prayer is supremely tested. The reality is that it is easy to pray for those we love and for those who help us. Praying for those who oppose and hurt us is another thing. Jesus says in
Matthew 5:44–45, But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be the sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
The ESV Study Bible says, “God hates evil, but he still brings blessings in this life even to his enemies by means of ‘common grace,’ that is, the favor to all people and not just to believers.” These benefits aim to inspire personal change. Of course, there is a sense in which God hates those who, with their heart, are extremely wicked. The psalmist says in Psalms 11: 5–6 The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. Just as God carefully examines our inner condition, he especially examines the righteous. The faithful see danger as an opportunity to prove their faith is genuine. In contrast, the Lord hates the wicked.
If we earnestly pray for others, think of the possibilities, our confidence is affirmed as we observe these individuals being helped. God’s answers come in new and creative ways; sometimes, he answers in ways we expect, but if His answer is different, it still is adequate. If we are earnest in praying for the good of others, it results in seeking their good.
Stronger relationships are made through mutual support and empathy. We are nonsegregated into a community of sharing. Few words encourage a person more than a Christian saying, “I am praying for you.” Oliver Cromwell wrote to his Admirals at sea, “You have a plentiful stock of prayers going up for you daily, which is to us, and I trust will be to you, a matter of great encouragement.” John Wesley said, “God will do nothing but in answer to prayer.” S. D. Gordon said, “The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is to pray. He also said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” It explains the statement S. D. Gordon makes, “Prayer is striking the winning blow… service is gathering up the results.” In his statement about prayer, E. M. Bounds said, “God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is, the better the world and the mightier the forces against evil will be. The prayers of God’s Saints are the capital stock of heaven by which God carries on his great work upon earth. God conditions the very life and the prosperity of His cause on prayer.” If these things are true, then prayer should be the main business of the day.”
Remember, Jesus prayed for Peter, and His prayer won in the end. Peter’s faith was shaken, but Jesus interceded with God to save it from utter collapse. Jesus interceded for others. He prays for all his disciples.
Crucifixion was a painful death, which ended in heart failure accompanied by suffocation. Yet Jesus, being nailed to the Cross with the flesh of His hands being torn, fulfilled His teaching about His enemies. Jesus said to His executioners Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
How should we pray? Matthew 6:9–13 says, Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed –Holy be your name — His attributes or character. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread — the necessities for the sustenance of life, forgive us our debts these debts being completely cancelled, as we also have forgiven our debtors — human forgiveness like divine forgiveness. And lead us not into temptation — trials where believers are commanded to pray not to be led into such by forces beyond their control but deliver us from evil.
Robert Law has said, “Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done on earth.” We have no right to ask God for anything that will dishonor His name, delay His Kingdom, or disturb His will on earth.
God’s prayer for you is that you will accept Him as your Savior and Lord. Repent of your sins and invite Him into your life. Make Jesus your Lord and Savior. Then His Holy Spirit will live within you,
HOW DO I KNOW JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE? I KNOW BECAUSE HIS HOLY SPIRIT IS ALIVE IN ME OH! WHAT A SAVIOR!
Contributor: C Paul Wooderson
